blogging: research, topic selection and writing styles/tips
DESCRIPTION
Cindy Stephenson's presentation at WordCamp Victoria, November 14, 2009.TRANSCRIPT
WordCamp Victoria
Research Strategies, Topic Selection and Writing Styles
Cindy Stephenson
November 14, 2009
Focus on your reader
Focus on your reader:
• Research strategies
• Identifying your niche
• Getting your message out
• Your takeaway
• Strategies and best practices
• Additional resources
For each of these we’ll consider:
Research helps you:
• Know who you’re writing for
• Understand their issues
• Know what others are saying
• Strategically offer your point of view
Research Strategies
• Read, read, read (with a focus)
• Seek out other points of view
• Organize your info
• Explore useful tools (many are free!)
Some interesting examples…
• American Red Cross
• Google Trends
• CEO blogger Merrill Dubrow
American Red Cross
• Uses research to identify key influencers and improve its image with key audiences
http://www.redcross.org/
American Red Cross: uses research to identify key influencers
http://www.redcross.org/
The CEO blogger: going beyond standard web metrics
The Merrill Dubrow Bloghttp://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/
25 Things I Learned on Google Trends – Steve Rubel of Micro Persuasionhttp://bit.ly/3ikPm4
Tudorwilliams An interesting comparison of web traffic on IABC's site compared to PRSA over past year. Some big differences! http://tinyurl.com/mn4soy
http://surveymonkey.com
Want more on research?
• KDPaine’s PR Measurement Blog http://kdpaine.blogs.com/
• Charlene Li
http://www.altimetergroup.com/about/charlene-li
• Angela Sinickas http://www.sinicom.com/index.htm
http://kdpaine.blogs.com/ @kdpaine
http://www.sinicom.com/ @sinickasa
Research helps you focus on your reader
Becoming known in your niche gives you:
• Traffic• Links• Fans• Authority• Opportunities and
contacts
Specialize
• Everyone’s an expert at something today!
• Why not you?• What are your
interests?• Why should people
read your blog?
http://www.problogger.net/about-problogger/
http://www.copyblogger.com/keyword-research/
Finding success in your niche
• Focus on your readers
• Comment • Reciprocal links• Submit guest posts• Post a response to
something you’ve read
Want more inspiration?
Getting your message out effectively leads to:
• Subscribers• Incoming links• Influence and
authority• Fame and fortune!
Before you start writing:
• Who is your audience?
• What do you want to say?
Have a clear message:
• Put your most important ideas first
• Keep it short and simple – one idea per post
Be your own editor:
• Write the way you speak
• Use simple, everyday words
• Cut out unnecessary words
Appearance matters
• Layout• Sub-heads• Images • Links• Bullets
More on writing?
• Jakob Nielsen: http://www.useit.com/
• Brian Clark and Copyblogger: http://www.copyblogger.com/
• Garr Reynolds and Presentation Zen: http://www.presentationzen.com/
• Style guides
Photo Credits• Meliqua and Bernard:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/3975342529/in/set-72157594567688537/
• People: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amit-agarwal/856769331/• Social media signals: http://www.flickr.com/photos/intersectionconsulting/• Prairie dog love:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/21824144/in/set-72157594567688537/
• Motocross: http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgio/• Urls: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/2535129902/• Chris Brogan:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cc_chapman/375395955/sizes/m/• Lorelle Van Fossen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreverdigital/• Connie Reece:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheilascarborough/3317397310/
Photo Credits(continued)
• Blog headline: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniemole/85515856/
• Protester: http://www.flickr.com/photos/city_poet/1518350408/
• Editor: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicmcphee/2756494307/sizes/l/
• Closet: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22876714@N03/3682069379/
• Touchgraph: http://www.flickr.com/photos/susanbeebe/2937045576/
Contact Info
PR Perspectivehttp://cindystephenson.wordpress.com
@CJStephenson